*LIVE* from Aboard the Zuiderdam! 4/22-5/19

[ironin]

Located about an hour south of Veracruz at the mouth of the Papalapoan River. Alvarado is a small town with a long history dating back to Cortes. Fishing is the major economic activity here, and we saw numerous shrimp boats lining the banks of the river as we came into town.

 

We had just enough time to get some flavor of the place by strolling around the historic plaza, peeking into the ornate city hall and simple church before moving on to our next destination for the day, Tlacotalpan. The Veracruz area is one of Mexico's major coffee-producing regions, so I couldn't resist trying some local coffee before departing. As the photo shows, the woman who made my cappuccino could definitely teach the average Starbucks barista a thing or two about presentation.

 

The monument pictured is dedicated to the "Heroic and Generous City & Port of Alvarado." I'm not at all sure about this, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn that it was presented by nearby Tlacotalpan in appreciation for Alvarado's tremendous support after devastating floods just a few years ago. (Perhaps someone who does know will chime in here.)

 

For more about Alvarado, and better photos, take a look at John Todd, Jr.'s "Pineapple Stands and Shrimp Boats: A Sunday Trip to Alvarado." Well worth it.

(Photos are posted on our blog. See first post for link)

[ironin]

Tlacopaltan, the Pearl of the Papaloapan, pre-dating the arrival of the Spanish in Mexico, is now a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, as the "urban layout and architecture of Tlacotalpan represent a fusion of Spanish and Caribbean traditions of exceptional importance and quality... Its outstanding character lies in its townscape of wide streets, modest houses in an exuberant variety of styles and colours, and many mature trees in public and private open spaces."

 

Our first stop was the Augustin Lara Cultural Center, where we were warmly greeted by the mayor himself and treated to performances of the traditional flamenco dance taught at the center as well as a musical performance by children playing instruments hand-crafted in Tlacopaltan.

 

After admiring the current exhibit of watercolors by noted local artist Marina Palencia, we wandered down the street to the recently restored opera house. Along the way, many of the homes had their curtains intentionally drawn back to allow visitors to see the rooms and antique furnishings insides.

 

Google “Tlacopaltan” and you can learn about the devastating floods which left the entire town under water a few years ago. We were told that 75-85% of the furniture that was immersed suffered little damage as it was made of cedar.

 

We had nowhere near the amount of time we would have liked to have had to explore and enjoy this fascinating and colorful town. The residents were extraordinarily friendly, and that’s saying something in a nation noted for a tradition of warm hospitality.

 

Once again, John Todd, Jr. provides a short photo-and-commentary essay that says and shows it better than I can here.

 

Photos can be viewed on our blog: Aboard the Amsterdam!

[ironin]

What borders on being the worst set of pictures ever published of the port area of Veracruz has been posted to the blog. Commentary will follow later.

[RetiredMustang]

... so I went for the quick and easy technological fix (ScanSnap 1100). ... ;)

 

When I saw the files of the daily programs and the menus on the blog, I figured you must have taken a scanner on cruise with you, and wondered why you would haul a heavy piece of gear like that. I looked up the ScanSnap -- I did not realize they made scanners that small. Obviously, it works very well, judging from the quality of the files on your blog.

 

Hmmm ... I go on another cruise in August. A few extra ounces might not be too much to carry, if it is compatible with my netbook ...

 

Thanks for the tip!

 

Dave

[ironin]

While modern container port facilities crowd the ancient Fort San Juan de Ulúa, it remains an impressive reminder of the historical importance of Veracruz, which remains Mexico’s most important port today.

 

As we were touring Alvarado and Tlacopaltan, our time within Veracruz itself was limited, but what we found while ambling around was charming, from the magnificent old Carranza Lighthouse to the large crafts market along the waterfront. Within easy reach of Mexico City, Veracruz is popular a popular destination for Mexicans due to the many regional attractions and facilities, yet continues to be largely overlooked by foreign tourists.

 

Veracruz was the place where Hernando Cortes landed before going on to conquer Mexico for Spain. The ruins of Cortes’s home remain extant in nearby La Antigua. There are also many pre-Columbian sites nearby. The world-class Veracruz Aquarium, built in 1992 is the both the largest, and one of the most important, in Latin America. Thanks to the unique offshore coral formations, the area enjoys a reputation within the scuba diving community as being among the best in the Caribbean. As such, the snorkeling is good, too.

 

While in Veracruz, we had time to enjoy the delicious “"Güero, Güero"” locally-made ice cream but not enough time to sit in one of the coffee houses and sit and sample the local coffee. Coffee is traditionally served black here. To get cream, one pings the side of the cup with a spoon and a waiter appears with it.

 

As mentioned in previous posts, John Todd, Jr.’s website is a treasure trove of information about both modern and historic Veracruz and surrounding communities and nearby attractions of all kinds.

[ironin]

Hope CC figures out how to fix their site soon - posting something here from aboard ship is becoming prohibitively expensive. And the script downloads being mistakenly sent to my computer in response to attempts to post irritating.

 

Aside to Dave: You're welcome and thank you for visiting! It's compatibale wth just about everything, connects via usb, requires no power cord and I'm still thrilled with it after a week.

[kazu]

What borders on being the worst set of pictures ever published of the port area of Veracruz has been posted to the blog. Commentary will follow later.

 

I beg to differ - your pics are great:):)

[ironin]

Thanks, kazu, and thanks for following along! :-) (Going "Advanced - with quotes is next to impossible for some reason right now - CC glitch, maybe)

 

Anyway, photo sets of Comalcalco Archaeological Museum and the nearby Mayan ruins are now posted to the blog.

[ironin]

Finally getting around to uploading to the blog copies of recent dinner menus and daily Explorers. Also adding copies of the Bar Menu, the MDR Wine List and Canaletto menu. Should appear on the blog in a few minutes. Arriving in Cartagena shortly - more later.

[KirkNC]

Out first full day at sea was far from the lazy day we'd imagined it would be prior to boarding the ship. While touring the ship the day before, our "courtesy call" at the spa resulted in reservations for a mid-morning "couples massage," something my brother and sister-in-law reported enjoying on previous cruises. (It doesn't really matter whether or not the two people signing up are, in fact, a couple, or even sharing a stateroom for that matter.) Our masseuses, JoAnn and Ann marvelous - skilled and friendly. The one of us who had never had a massage in his life, and has muscle tension problems, really benefited from it.

 

Completely relaxed, we adjourned to a light lunch at the Lido before wandering back to our by-now favorite watering hole, the Sea View Bar next to the aft pool. One of our favorite bartenders, Carlo, can be extraordinarily persuasive - one of those people who could sell ice by the ton to Eskimos. He convinced us that to enroll in the afternoon MIxology class in the Crow's Nest.

 

We weren't even sure what a Mixology class was about, but off we went at the appointed time. There we discovered our hostess, party planner Casey, and teachers, bartenders Antonio and Mike already set-up for the intensive lesson in making martinis about to begin. At $12.50 per class, as one can see from the photo of the end result, this is probably the best drink bargain on the ship. ;) As the photos on our website show, lots of fun, too!

 

Great idea, had not thought about that;).

 

Kirk

[ironin]

Cartagena was stunningly beautiful, exciting, vibrant, and worth spending far more than the half-day alloted (due to the need to be at the Panama Canal at the right time). We didn't want to return to the ship. It appears 8 other passengers felt the same way. They are still calling their names and asking them to report in if already aboard. Will be interesting to see how long the captain waits for them to make it back. Cruising through the Panama Canal is far more interesting than flying over the Panama Canal, I think. And far less expensive, considering the cruise is already paid for and last-minute plane tickets to Costa Rica probably aren't cheap. ;-)

[kazu]

Cartagena was stunningly beautiful, exciting, vibrant, and worth spending far more than the half-day alloted (due to the need to be at the Panama Canal at the right time). We didn't want to return to the ship. It appears 8 other passengers felt the same way. They are still calling their names and asking them to report in if already aboard. Will be interesting to see how long the captain waits for them to make it back. Cruising through the Panama Canal is far more interesting than flying over the Panama Canal, I think. And far less expensive, considering the cruise is already paid for and last-minute plane tickets to Costa Rica probably aren't cheap. ;-)

 

OMG - didn't anyone warn these missing 8 that the captain waits for no one? I doubt he can wait too long. :eek:

[ironin]

As it turns out, we departed 10 minutes late and everyone was aboard, kazu. Those eight don't know how lucky they are!

 

BTW, updated the site so that all the menus published so far (bar, room service, MDR wine list, Canaletto, Pinnacle Grill, and MDR Dinners) can be easily accessed by those interested. They're now posted under "Daily Menus" section at the top of the main page. Did the same for the "Explorer" daily paper.

[ironin]

Photos of Chichen Itza have been added to the blog. It was 104 degrees F while we were there yesterday. Fortunately, Cartagena was much cooler today.

 

Tonight, we're dining "at" Le Cirque in the Pinnacle Grill. (Which reminds me, still need to post photos of the delicious "Dinner with the Chef" evening earlier in the week - perhaps later tonight.)

 

If someone around here would get organized, we might have photos from our Canaletto dinners and PG lunch posted soon.

 

We're taking lots of photos of crew members in action and will be uploading them soon as well.

 

Tomorrow, we traverse Panama via some canal people talk a lot about ;)

[ironin]

The pilot is just arriving beneath our stateroom. And away we go....

[dmwnc1959]

The pilot is just arriving beneath our stateroom. And away we go....

 

I'm going to try and get as many webcam grabs of her going through the Panama Canal today. :D

[ironin]

I'm going to try and get as many webcam grabs of her going through the Panama Canal today. :D

 

Thanks a lot! Just saw what you've posted so far - really appreciate it!

[dmwnc1959]

Thanks a lot! Just saw what you've posted so far - really appreciate it!

 

Yaw look AWESOME going through today!!!! :D:D:D Wish I was there!!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Loving your review!!

And the pictures are great as well

Often we have heard names being called over the PA as the ship is about to leave a port -- and many times the people were on the ship -- sometimes there are large groups getting on together and a few will miss getting their ID cards scanned -- thus it isn't registered that they have gotten back on the ship

[dmwnc1959]

I hope you don't mind if I link the webcam grabs thread here in case the two get separated you can easily find it:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1407034

[ironin]

Our photos from aboard the Zuiderdam as we sailed through the Panama Canal should appear on our blog in a few minutes.

Aboard the Zuiderdam!

[Himself]

I hope you enjoyed the whole Canal Experience. I have done the "Partial Canal" three times. I did the full Canal trip on the old Westerdam in 1998 and still remember it fondly after all these years.

[ironin]

I hope you enjoyed the whole Canal Experience. I have done the "Partial Canal" three times. I did the full Canal trip on the old Westerdam in 1998 and still remember it fondly after all these years.

 

It was everything we hoped it would be, from the early morning clouds, ships lined up to go in, the locks and the mules, the dam and the lake, the cut and the new bridge to the Bridge of the Americas, port of Balboa and the towering skyscrapers of Panama City in the distance at the end.

 

I noticed that the port cam shots made the weather look less inviting, but, as you can see from our shots on the blog, the sun shone throughout. As it was probably in the high 80's most of the day, the clouds were welcome relief whenever they happened by.

 

We'll be cruising the Golfo Dulce today. Have already seen numerous sea turtles, dolphins, and what looked like a blue shark (BWDWK?).

[ironin]

I hope you enjoyed the whole Canal Experience. I have done the "Partial Canal" three times. I did the full Canal trip on the old Westerdam in 1998 and still remember it fondly after all these years.

 

It was everything we hoped it would be, from the early morning clouds, ships lined up to go in, the locks and the mules, the dam and the lake, the cut and the new bridge to the Bridge of the Americas, port of Balboa and the towering skyscrapers of Panama City in the distance at the end.

 

I noticed that the port cam shots made the weather look less inviting, but, as you can see from our shots on the blog, the sun shone throughout. As it was probably in the high 80's most of the day, the clouds were welcome relief whenever they happened by.

 

We'll be cruising the Golfo Dulce today. Have already seen numerous sea turtles, dolphins, and what looked like a blue shark (BWDWK?).

[Krazy Kruizers]

we love the full day in the canal